Other Open Games

Oracle

Although the gods work through many agents, perhaps none is more mysterious than the oracle. These divine vessels are granted power without their choice, selected by providence to wield powers that even they do not fully understand. Unlike a cleric, who draws her magic through devotion to a deity, oracles garner strength and power from many sources, namely those patron deities who support their ideals. Instead of worshiping a single source, oracles tend to venerate all of the gods that share their beliefs. While some see the powers of the oracle as a gift, others view them as a curse, changing the life of the chosen in unforeseen ways.

Role: Oracles do not usually associate with any one church or temple, instead preferring to strike out on their own, or with a small group of like-minded individuals. Oracles typically use their spells and revelations to further their understanding of their mystery, be it through fighting mighty battles or tending to the poor and sick.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Starting Wealth: 3d6 × 10 gp (average 105gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Spells

An oracle casts divine spells drawn from the cleric spell lists. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, an oracle must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an oracle’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the oracle’s Charisma modifier (see FAQ at right).

Like other spellcasters, an oracle can cast only a certain number of spells per day of each spell level. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Oracle. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).

Unlike other divine spellcasters, an oracle’s selection of spells is extremely limited. An oracle begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of her choice. At each new oracle level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Oracle Spells Known. Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an oracle knows is not affected by her Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Oracle Spells Known are fixed.

In addition to the spells gained by oracles as they gain levels, each oracle also adds all of either the cure spells or the inflict spells to her list of spells known (cure spells include all spells with “cure” in the name, inflict spells include all spells with “inflict” in the name). These spells are added as soon as the oracle is capable of casting them. This choice is made when the oracle gains her first level and cannot be changed.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered oracle level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), an oracle can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the oracle loses the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. An oracle may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level. She cannot swap any cure or inflict spells, nor can she swap any spells gained from her mystery. Unlike a cleric, an oracle need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level. Oracles do not need to provide a divine focus to cast spells that list divine focus (DF) as part of the components.

Table: Oracle Spells Known

Level

0th

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

1st

4

2

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2nd

5

2

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

3rd

5

3

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

4th

6

3

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5th

6

4

2

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

6th

7

4

2

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

7th

7

5

3

2

—

—

—

—

—

—

8th

8

5

3

2

1

—

—

—

—

—

9th

8

5

4

3

2

—

—

—

—

—

10th

9

5

4

3

2

1

—

—

—

—

11th

9

5

5

4

3

2

—

—

—

—

12th

9

5

5

4

3

2

1

—

—

—

13th

9

5

5

4

4

3

2

—

—

—

14th

9

5

5

4

4

3

2

1

—

—

15th

9

5

5

4

4

4

3

2

—

—

16th

9

5

5

4

4

4

3

2

1

—

17th

9

5

5

4

4

4

3

3

2

—

18th

9

5

5

4

4

4

3

3

2

1

19th

9

5

5

4

4

4

3

3

3

2

20th

9

5

5

4

4

4

3

3

3

3

Mystery

Each oracle draws upon a divine mystery to grant her spells and powers. This mystery also grants additional class skills and other special abilities. This mystery can represent a devotion to one ideal, prayers to deities that support the concept, or a natural calling to champion a cause. For example, an oracle with the waves mystery might have been born at sea and found a natural calling to worship the gods of the oceans, rivers, and lakes, be they benign or malevolent. Regardless of its source, the mystery manifests in a number of ways as the oracle gains levels. An oracle must pick one mystery upon taking her first level of oracle. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, an oracle learns an additional spell derived from her mystery. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Oracle Spells Known. They cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels.

Oracle’s Curse (Ex)

Each oracle is cursed, but this curse comes with a benefit as well as a hindrance. This choice is made at 1st level, and once made, it cannot be changed. The oracle’s curse cannot be removed or dispelled without the aid of a deity. An oracle’s curse is based on her oracle level plus one for every two levels or Hit Dice other than oracle. Each oracle must choose one of the following curses.

Orisons

Oracles learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Oracle Spells Known under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.

Revelation

At 1st level, 3rd level, and every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and so on), an oracle uncovers a new secret about her mystery that grants her powers and abilities. The oracle must select a revelation from the list of revelations available to her mystery (see FAQ at right). If a revelation is chosen at a later level, the oracle gains all of the abilities and bonuses granted by that revelation based on her current level. Unless otherwise noted, activating the power of a revelation is a standard action.

Unless otherwise noted, the DC to save against these revelations is equal to 10 + 1/2 the oracle’s level + the oracle’s Charisma modifier.

Final Revelation

At 20th level, an oracle learns the final revelation about her mystery, granting her amazing powers and abilities. The nature of these bonuses depends upon the oracle’s mystery.

Favored Class Bonuses

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a favored class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their favored classes. The following options are available to the listed race who have fighters as their favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the listed favored class reward.

Reduce the non-proficient penalty for one weapon by 1. When the non-proficient penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the oracle is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with that weapon.

Reduce the penalty for not being proficient for one weapon by 1. When the nonproficiency penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the oracle is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat for that weapon.

Add one spell known from the wizard’s illusion school spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast. That spell is treated as one level higher unless it is also on the oracle spell list.

Reduce the penalty for not being proficient with one weapon by 1. When the nonproficiency penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the oracle is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with that weapon.

Reduce the penalty for not being proficient with one weapon by 1. When the non-proficiency penalty for a weapon becomes 0 because of this ability, the oracle is treated as having the appropriate Martial or Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat with that weapon.

Add one spell known from the wizard's illusion school spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast. The spell is treated as being one level higher, unless it is also on the oracle spell list.

Choose a new spell in place of one you already know. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. You cannot swap any cure or inflict spells, nor any spell gained from your mystery.

Add +½ to all Diplomacy and Heal checks. (+1 to these checks for every two times you select this option.)

RGG:HHO

Archetypes & Alternate Class Features

When a character selects a class, he must choose to use the standard class features found or those listed in one of the archetypes presented here. Each alternate class feature replaces a specific class feature from its parent class. For example, the elemental fist class feature of the monk of the four winds replaces the stunning fist class feature of the monk. When an archetype includes multiple class features, a character must take all of them—often blocking the character from ever gaining certain familiar class features, but replacing them with equally powerful options. All of the other class features found in the core class and not mentioned among the alternate class features remain unchanged and are acquired normally when the character reaches the appropriate level (unless noted otherwise). A character who takes an alternate class feature does not count as having the class feature that was replaced when meeting any requirements or prerequisites.

A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature from the core class as another alternate class feature. For example, a paladin could not be both a hospitaler and an undead scourge since they both modify the smite evil class feature and both replace the aura of justice class feature. A paladin could, however, be both an undead scourge and a warrior of the holy light, since none of their new class features replace the same core class feature.

Archetypes are a quick and easy way to specialize characters of a given class, adding fun and flavorful new abilities to already established adventurers. Characters may take more than one archetype if they meet the requirements.

Each archetype includes a list of recommended mysteries that are particularly suitable for that archetype, though the archetypes are not limited only to oracles of those mysteries. An archetype’s bonus spells replace the normal bonus spells for the oracle’s chosen mystery.